Another Visit to Pondok Tanggui's Orangutans, Tanjung Puting Reserve in Kalimantan (Indonesia Borneo)
Today was our last full day and we headed back downstream for visit number one, back to Pondok Tanggui Reserve for the 9:00 a.m. feeding. Pondok Tanggui had only the gigantic Alpha male orangutan last time and, impressive as he was, we were hoping for more orangutans today. There were five boats tied up at the jetty and ex-Marine and I made the short boardwalk walk to the feeding platform. Where, guess what...huge Alpha male orangutan was sitting in regal splendor in the middle of the platform, chomping away on bananas with gusto..View image...and slurping milk while other orangutans watched nervously from the trees...View image, and bushes hoping for a chance to snatch at least one banana...View image.
Greed, intimidation, fear, and respect is all part of the Orangutan world, especially once the big Alpha male made his reappearance. There's probably no way he would miss a free meal. Have to keep up all that bulk to fend off other competitors for the Top Male position.
Many bunches of bananas later, the other orangutans plucked up their courage and approached the feeding platform...View image, still at a respectful distance, hopeful that "The Boss" had stuffed his face enough to risk it.
Eventually, big male was full and lumbered off into the forest. One by one, the other orangutans made their way to a new stash of bananas dumped on the platform by the rangers and new container of milk, grabbed and raced back to the trees, bananas in mouth or hand, unsure whether or not big male would decide to return. Even the littlest baby kept a wary eye out...
...while ex-Marine and I snapped off a few more photos...View image... called it a morning and walked back to the boat for our lunch...View image.
Would you believe that by now, I had taken over 400 photographs with still one more reserve to go? The red/orange Orangutans had such expressive faces and gestures and its own personality that it was impossible to take a bad photo. Totally engrossing.
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